Bail holder



May 27, 1930 l N. H. DAvls 1,760,687

BAIL HOLDER I Filed June`3, 1927 EL? Lf-"zg, a

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Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED PIENT- oFFlcE NATHAN H, DAVIS, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoa To xEYsToNE LANTEEN COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY BAIL HOLDER Application filed .Tune 3, 1927. Serial No. 196,253.

The present invention relates to bail-holders of that type in which the bail may either swing freely or be held in rigid position, ac-

cording as desired, and one object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be quickly and easily operated to change the bail from one condition to the other, which holds the bail securely in its rigid position against accidental release, and which is simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, and is not likely to get out of order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bail-holder which is particularly adapted for use in hand lanterns such as are employed on railways for signaling purposes and which may be applied to or embodied in signal lanterns of the usual form with but little change in their construction.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention comprisesthe various novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, herein set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing Vwhich illustrates one embodiment of the invention and in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lantern equipped with my improved bail-holder.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged'detail top plan view i showing the positions of theparts at one end of the bail when the bail is secured in rigid position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view in front elevation. Fig. 4 is a similar view in side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation, partly in section, showing the position of the parts at one end of the bail when the bail is free to swing.

Fig. 6 is a similar view in side elevation.

Fig. 7 .is an enlarged detail top plan view of one of the brackets. Y

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a lantern equipped with my improved bail-holder Vand'having a guardframe 2. These parts may be of any suitable or well known construction. As shown, the

forml eyes 9.

guard-frame is made of wire and comprises the usual top, intermediate and bottom rings, designated as 3, 4 and 5, respectively, and a plurality of upright members 6 connecting these rings.

The bail 7 of the lantern is substantially U-shaped, with its end portions preferably 'slightly inturned toward each other, as indisecured to the lantern frame for both pivotalv movement to permit the bail to swing and sliding movement to permit the bail to be raised or lowered with respect to the frame.

In the present embodiment of the inven-` tion this is accomplished by having the earsI of skeleton form, each ear consisting of a substantially upright portion 11 and upper and lower cross pieces 12 and 13 extending laterally therefrom and supporting thesame.

Such ears may be conveniently formed when the guard-frame is made of wire, by suitably Vbending the upper portions of diametrically opposite members 6 of the guard-frame, outwardly between the top and intermediate rings 8 and 4, the wire being bent around the intermediate ring 4 and extending outwardly therefrom to form the lower l'cross piece 13, and then extending upwardly to form the upright portion 11, and having its upper end bent inwardly to form the upper cross piece 12, the inner extremity of whichis secured to the top ring 3. The upper cross piece 11 is preferably offset intermediate Vof its ends as indicated at 14so as to form with the upper` end of the upright portion 11 a lobe 15 of substantially vinverted U-shape, which projects upwardly beyond the plane of the top ring 3.

The upright portions 11 are encircled by the respective eyes 9 of the bail vand constitute guide rods on which the eyes are mounted for limited sliding movement between the upper and lower cross pieces 12 and 13. When the eyes are drawn upwardly against the upper cross pieces 12 and lo- Yso cated in the respective lobes 15 the bail is free to swing pivotally relatively to the lantern, and clear of the other parts of the holder described below.

In conjunction with each ear l0 there is a bracket 16, carried by and outstanding from the guard-frame 2 and preferably formed from a strip of sheet metal, the extremities of which are vsecured respectively to the top and intermediate rings 3 and slof the guardframe and are bifurcated, as indicated at 17, to straddle the wire forming the ear.

The sole plate 18 of eachvbracket extends substantially horizontally outwardly from the top ring 3 of the ,guard-frame and is located below the lobe 15of the ear and in thel path of sliding movement of the adjacent end ofthe bail. The upright portion 11 of the ear passes centrally through the* larger portion of -a keyhole shaped opening 19,whicl1 is of a size to afford clearance for the eye 9 to permit-the same to pass freely therethrough as it is. slid downwardly on the ear. The restricted portion of this opening extends into the outward portion of the sole plate beyondthe ear and is adapted to receive the adjacent end portion of the bail v when the eye 9 is slid downwardly to its lowered position, the opposite side walls of the restricted portion forming abutments or Vrestraining members 20 which bear against kthe interposed end portion of the bail and confine it therebetween so as to hold the bail in an upright position and against swinging movement. j Y

To hold the bail in its lowered position against withdrawal from the bracket, a catch 21 is pivoted to the outer portion of the bracket 16 and is adapted to be swung upwardly abovethe sole plate into locking engagement withV a suitable `,projection 22 formed on the end portion of the bail. licient friction is provided between the catch and the bracket Vto insureagainst the accidental displacement of thev catch without inter- -fering with its convenient operation. The

projection 22 is =preferably formed by crimping the end portion of the bail and this crimp may be arranged to spring into engagement withthe bracket, as for instance, by embracing the end wall of the restricted portion of the keyhole shaped opening 19. l/Vhere a positive lockl is not necessary the spring en,- gagement between the bail and the bracket may be sufficient without employing a catch, while on the other hand, thejcatch may be 'employed with a suitable Vprojection onthe bail without anyspring engagement between the bai-l and the bracket. However, the conjoint use of these two features provides a ,double lock for the bail `andpossesses distinct advantages.

F rom the foregoing description, the operation of my improved :bail-holder will be obvious.

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Amongits many advantages is that the bail may be easily and quickly shifted from swinging position to rigid position and vic'e versa, and is securely locked in rigid position against accidental displacement, Moreover, the construction is simple and strong and adapted to withstand hard usage without getting out of order.

It is to be understood that while this 'improved bail-holder is particularly adapted for use in hand lanterns such as employed on railways for signalling purposes and is susceptible of being embodied therein with but little 'change in their construction and at but little additional expense, itis also adapted to be employed in various other articles in which it may be desirable to have a bail which may either swing freely or be held rigid.

While the holder may be employed at both bodiment of the invention, it may be suflicient in many instances to employ it at one end of the bail only.

It is to be understood that other forms of mounting may be employed for connecting the end lof the bail for both pivotal and sliding movement, and that various other changes may be made inthe form, arrangement and combination of parts without departing from the spirit land scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to vprotect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1 In a bail-holder, the combination with means for mounting ank extremity of the bail for both pivotal and sliding movement, of a bracket located at an intermediate point inthe path of such sliding movement and having an opening through which said extremity is freely movable, and means carried by said bracket for engaging the bail at a point removed from such extremity thereof, to restrain the bail against pivotal movement. ment.

2. In a bail-holder, the combination with means for mounting an end of the bail for both pivotal and sliding movement, of means located at an intermediate point in thevpath o-f such sliding movement for engaging the bail and confining it against pivotal' movement, and means for positively locking the bail against sliding movement to retain it in engagement with 'saidlast-mentioned means.

4. In a bail-holder, the combination oii a bracket having an opening, a guide rod passing through such opening, and a bail having an end thereof mounted for both pivotal and sliding movement on said guide rod, and when slid thereon in one direction, passing through said opening and being engaged by said bracket and confined thereby against pivotal movement.

5. In a bail-holder, the combination of a guide rod, a bail having an end thereof mounted for both pivotal and sliding movement o-n said guide rod, means for engaging the bail when it is slid on the guide rod in one direction, to restrain the bail against pivotal movement, and means holding the bail against slidingmovement to retain it in engagement with said last-mentioned means.

6. In a bail-holder, the combination of a bracket having an opening, a guide passing through such opening, a bail having an end thereof mounted on said guide for both pivotal and sliding movement relatively thereto, and means for holding the bail against sliding movement and in position with a portion thereof passing through said opening and the bracket restraining said bail against pivotal movement.

7. In a lantern, the combination with a guard frame having an upright guard member, of a bail having an end thereof mounted on said member for both pivotal and sliding movement relatively thereto, means for engaging the bail when slid downwardly on said member, to restrain the bail against such pivotal movement, and means for holding the bail against such sliding movement to retain it in engagement with said last-mentioned means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

NATHAN H. DAVIS. 

